Multifunction infant carrier

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided is an infant carrier adaptable to support an infant in a forward facing position or a rearward facing position. The infant carrier may also be configured to allow for easy adjustment to fit the infant carrier to the specific size of the wearer. The infant carrier may also be configured to be connectable with a bib in a variety of configurations to protect the wearer or infant carrier from fluids or objects which may fall from the infant&#39;s mouth. The bib may also be connected to the infant carrier in a position to provide shade to the infant. In this regard, the bib may provide three-in-one functionality to the infant carrier to enhance the overall experience of wearing the carrier for both the wearer and the infant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to carriers adapted to be wornby an adult in order to support and carry an infant or young child. Moreparticularly, the present invention is directed to an infant carrierhaving a bib attachment which is adapted to be disposed in aconventional bib position or in a sun-visor position to provide shadefor the infant.

2. Description of the Related Art

As is well known to parents of infants or young children,shoulder-supported infant carriers are extremely popular and commonlyused to transport an infant or young child. Shoulder supported infantcarriers as currently known in the art come in a wide range of designsand styles. A common attribute of these carriers is that they offer“hands free” operation, and allow the adult wearer to carry the infantwhile performing other activities. One currently known infant carrier isa frame-type carrier which typically supports the infant on the back ofthe wearer. Currently more popular than frame-type carriers areframeless or soft-sided carriers which typically support the infant onthe front or chest of the adult wearer. In this regard, the soft-sidedcarriers allow for more interaction between the wearer and child.

Though soft-sided carriers provide certain advantages, they oftentimespossess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility.One such deficiency lies in the absence of a structure which protectsthe wearer or carrier from oral discharge (i.e., vomit, drool, etc.)from the infant. This deficiency is magnified by the fact that when thechild is placed within the carrier, the wearer tends to move and beactive, which may increase the likelihood that the infant will vomit,especially shortly after a meal.

Another deficiency lies in the absence of a structure which providesshade for the infant during use. Shortly after birth, young childrentend to have sensitive skin, which may easily burn or be damaged bydirect exposure to sunlight. As such, conventional infant carriers mayleave the infant at risk of suffering from sunburn.

A further deficiency relates to the adaptability of the infant carrierto accommodate the specific size of the wearer. It is understood thatthe infant carrier may be used by a wide range of infant care providers(i.e., mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc.). Assuch, it is desirable that the infant carrier be easily adaptable toconform to the size of the various infant care providers which may wearthe infant carrier.

The present invention addresses and overcomes these deficiencies byproviding an infant carrier which is easily adaptable to fit snuggly ona wearer, wherein the infant carrier includes a bib which may beoriented in a conventional bib position to protect the wearer and infantcarrier from oral discharge from the infant, as well as a sun-shadeposition to provide shade to the infant. These and other advantagesattendant to the present invention will be described in more detailbelow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an infantcarrier adaptable to support an infant in a forward facing position or arearward facing position. The infant carrier is also configured to allowfor easy adjustment to fit the infant carrier to the specific size ofthe wearer. The infant carrier is additionally configured to beconnectable with a bib in a variety of configurations to protect thewearer or infant carrier from fluids or objects which may fall from theinfant's mouth. The bib may also be connected to the infant carrier in aposition to provide shade to the infant. In this regard, the bib mayprovide three-in-one functionality to the infant carrier to enhance theoverall experience of wearing the carrier for both the wearer and theinfant.

According to one implementation, the infant carrier includes a pair ofshoulder straps and a main panel engageable with the pair of shoulderstraps to define a pair of leg openings to receive and support theinfant within the infant carrier. The bib includes a pair of attachmenttabs and a bib panel connected to the pair of attachment tabs, the pairof attachment tabs being configured to be releasably attachable to theinfant carrier.

The bib may be disposed in a first bib configuration by connecting theattachment tabs to a respective shoulder strap to dispose the bib panelbetween the pair of shoulder straps. The bib may be deployed in thefirst bib configuration when the infant is in the rearward facingposition.

The bib may be disposed in a second bib configuration by connecting theattachment tabs to connecting straps formed on the main panel of theinfant carrier, such that the bib panel extends from a body portion to adistal portion of the main panel when the infant carrier is in theforward facing position.

The bib may be disposed in a sun-visor configuration when the infantcarrier is in the rearward facing position with the main panel extendingabove the infant's head. The distal portion of the bib is connected tothe main panel and the attachment tabs are connected to the shoulderstraps to deploy the bib over the infant to provide shade to the infant.

The bib and infant carrier may be configured to allow a wearer to easilyswitch the position of the bib between the first bib configuration,second bib configuration and the sun visor configuration.

The pair of shoulder straps may be connected to the main panel to assumean overlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersectionpoint. The infant carrier may additionally include a strap connectorcoupled to the straps and slidable along the straps to adjust thelocation of the intersection point to more comfortably fit the wearer

The present invention is best understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These, as well as other features of the present invention, will becomemore apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a upper perspective view of an infant carrier assemblyincluding an infant carrier and a bib disposed in a first configurationfor an infant seated in the infant carrier in a facing-in position;

FIG. 2 is a top view of an embodiment of the infant carrier;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the infant carrier depicted in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the infant carrier depicted in FIGS. 2-3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the infant carrier depicted in FIGS. 2-4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the infant carrier depicted in FIGS. 2-5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the bib and a section of the infantcarrier, wherein the bib is in a second configuration for an infantseated in the infant carrier in a facing-out position;

FIG. 8 is an upper perspective view of the infant carrier assembly withthe bib in the second configuration;

FIG. 9 is an upper perspective view of the infant carrier assembly withthe bib partially deployed in a sun-shade configuration to provide shadeto an infant seated in the infant carrier; and

FIG. 10 is an upper perspective view of the infant carrier assembly withthe bib completely deployed in the sun-shade configuration.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detaileddescription to indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes ofillustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, andnot for purposes of limiting the same, there is depicted an infantcarrier assembly 10 which is specifically adapted to be worn by a wearerto support an infant or young child. The infant carrier assembly 10includes an infant carrier 12 and a bib 14 detachably engageable withthe infant carrier 12. The infant carrier 12 generally includes a mainpanel 16 and a pair of shoulder straps 18 connected to the main panel 16to allow a wearer to dispose the infant carrier 12 over the wearer'sshoulder to position the main panel 16 in front of the wearer's chest.The infant carrier 12 may include a strap adjuster 20 to adjust the sizeof the shoulder straps 18 to adapt the carrier 12 to the specific sizeof the wearer. The infant carrier 12 may also include a pocket 22 tocapture fasteners or buckles connecting the straps 18 to the main body16. The pocket 22 may contain the fasteners or buckles to provide morecomfort to the lower abdominal area of the wearer. The bib 14 may beconnected to the infant carrier 12 in several different positions toserve a number of different purposes. For instance, the bib 14 may beconnected to the infant carrier 12 to serve as a conventional bib toprotect the wearer and/or the infant carrier 12 from fluids or objectswhich may fall from the infant's mouth (see FIGS. 1, 7, and 8). It isadditionally contemplated that the bib 14 may be connected to the infantcarrier 12 for use as a sun visor to provide shade to the infant (seeFIGS. 9 and 10). As such, a single bib 14 may be deployed in all of theabove-described configurations to enhance the usage of the infantcarrier 12.

Turning now to the specific structural features of the infant carrier12, the main panel 16 of the infant carrier 12 includes an inner surfaceand an opposing outer surface. The main panel 16 defines a body portion28 and a distal portion 30 foldable relative to the body portion 28 toadapt the infant carrier 12 from a facing-in configuration to afacing-out configuration. The main panel 16 may be comprised of a medialsection and a pair of opposing lateral sections disposed on opposingsides of the medial section. The medial section and lateral sectionscollectively define a cradling support structure to support an infantadjacent the chest of the wearer. The main panel 16 may preferably befilled with a padded material to comfortably cradle the infant withinthe carrier 12.

A pocket 22 is connected to the main panel 16 opposite the distalportion 30. The pocket 22 is sized and configured to capture buckles orconnectors used to connect the main panel 16 to the shoulder straps 18,as described in more detail below. The pocket 22 covers the buckles sothe buckles do not painfully rub against the wearer's abdomen.

The main panel 16 is configured to be detachably engageable with thepair of shoulder straps 18. The shoulder straps 18 allow the wearer totransfer the collective load of the carrier 12 and the infant to thewearer's shoulders, similar to a conventional backpack. Along theselines, the straps 18 preferably include a padded material to ease theload on the wearer. The straps 18 include a length adjusting portion 19to allow the wearer to adjust the overall length of the strap 18 toadjust the strap 18 to comfortably fit the wearer. The length adjustingportion 19 is preferably formed of woven nylon, or similar materialsknown by those skilled in the art, which are durable and allow for easylength adjustment of the strap 18.

The shoulder straps 18 and main panel 16 may include a plurality ofcomplimentary fasteners/connectors to facilitate connectiontherebetween. In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, the main panel16 and straps 18 are connected via a pair of first connectors 35(captured by the pocket 22; shown in phantom in FIG. 3), a pair ofsecond connectors 38, and a pair of third connectors 40. Each pair ofconnectors 35, 38, 40 may include a set of complimentary male and femalebuckle halves which are cooperatively engageable with each other.

In order to easily place the infant within the carrier 12, one of thepair of second connectors 38 and one of the pair of third connectors 40may be disconnected to open up one side of the carrier 12. Once theinfant is placed within the carrier 12, the disconnected secondconnectors 38 and third connectors 40 may be reconnected to secure theinfant within the carrier 12. Since only one side of the carrier 12needs to be opened when placing or removing an infant from the carrier12, certain embodiments may include a first connector 35, secondconnector 38 and third connector 40 disposed on a common side of theinfant carrier 12, with the opposing side of the infant carrier 12having a more permanent attachment between the shoulder straps 18 andthe main panel 16, such as being sewn together.

The shoulder straps 18 are disposed in an intersecting and overlappingconfiguration (see FIG. 3) to define an intersection point 36 where thestraps 18 overlap each other. The strap adjuster 20 is connected to thestraps 18 such that the intersection point 36 is disposed within thestrap adjuster 20. The strap adjuster 20 may include two halves 20 a, 20b (see FIG. 3) which are sewn together or otherwise fastened to definefour openings through which the shoulder straps 18 pass through. One orboth of the strap adjuster halves 20 a, 20 b may include a paddedmaterial disposed therein to rest comfortably adjacent the wearer'sback. The strap adjuster 20 is configured to be slidable along thestraps 18 to adjust the position of the shoulder straps 18, and morespecifically, the position of the intersection point 36 relative to thewearer's back for a more comfortable fit for the wearer. By moving theintersection point 36, the wearer may adjust the load distribution tomitigate muscle soreness or fatigue while wearing the carrier 12. A loop25 (see FIG. 3) may be connected to the strap adjuster 20 to allow auser to easily grab the adjuster 20 for moving the adjuster 20 along thestraps 18.

The infant carrier 12 defines leg openings 45 (see FIG. 2) through whichan infant's legs may pass through when the infant is placed within thecarrier 12. Along these lines, the leg opening 45 defined by the infantcarrier 12 may be too large for smaller infants, allowing the smallerinfants to fall out of the carrier 12 through the leg openings.Accordingly, the carrier 12 may include leg straps 46 (see FIGS. 2 and4) extending between the shoulder straps 18 and the main body 16 todecrease the size of the leg opening 45 to make it safe for use withsmaller infants. The leg straps 46 include a slot configured to receivea button 48 (see FIG. 4) disposed on the main panel 16. As the infantbecomes bigger, use of the leg straps 46 may not be necessary to ensurethe infant is safely secured within the carrier 12.

The infant carrier 12 may be adaptable to support an infant in at leasttwo different positions: (1) a facing-out position (i.e., forwardposition) or (2) a facing-in position (i.e., a rearward position). Whenthe infant is relatively young, the infant may not have developed thestrength and coordination to independently support his head. Therefore,it may be suitable to place the infant in the facing-in position whereinthe distal portion 30 is disposed in a rearward configuration to providesupport behind the infant's head. In the rearward configuration, thedistal portion 30 is substantially coplanar with the body portion 28(see FIG. 1) and extends behind the infant's head to provide supportbehind the infant, while the wearer's chest provides frontal support tothe infant's head. In the rearward configuration, the pair of thirdconnectors 40 are engaged to maintain the distal portion 30 in therearward configuration. In other words, the third connectors 40 connectthe distal portion 30 to the straps 18 to maintain the distal portion 30in a coplanar position relative to the body portion 28.

As the child grows older and gains the strength and coordination tosupport his own head, the child may prefer to face out when placed inthe carrier 12. Therefore, the main panel 16 is configured to transitionbetween the rearward configuration to a forward configuration bydisconnecting the pair of third connectors 40, and folding the distalportion 30 relative to the body portion 28 to dispose the distal portion30 in an overlapping position relative to the body portion 28 (see FIG.8). Therefore, when the child is placed in the carrier 12 in thefacing-out position, the infant may be able to see in front of thecarrier 12.

The following discussion now focuses on the use of the bib 14, which maybe connected to the infant carrier 12 in several different positions toadd to the features and functionality of the infant carrier assembly 10.The bib 14 includes a pair of attachment tabs 54 and a bib panel 56,which may include a distal fastener 58.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, infant carrier 12 is shown in afacing-in configuration, with the bib 14 being disposed in a first bibconfiguration. The bib attachment tabs 54 are attached to bib attachmentstrips 59 located on the shoulder straps 18 to dispose the bib 14between the infant and the wearer. In this regard, the bib 14 is used asa conventional bib to protect the wearer's clothing from fluids orobjects which may fall out of the infant's mouth. The attachment tabs 54and bib attachment strips 59 are cooperatively engageable with eachother, and are preferably formed of hook and loop fastening material;however, other fasteners known by those skilled in the art may be usedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.The bib 14 may be deployed in the first bib configuration before orafter the infant is placed within the carrier 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-8, the infant carrier 12 is shown in a forwardconfiguration to receive the infant in the facing-out position. In thisconfiguration, the bib 14 is disposed in a second bib configuration withthe attachment tabs 54 being connected to bib attachment strips 60formed on the inner surface of the main panel 16. The bib panel 56extends from the body portion 28 to the distal portion 30, with thedistal fastener 58 being fastened to an attachment snap 62 formed on thedistal portion 30. It is contemplated that certain embodiments may notinclude an attachment snap 62, in which case the distal end of the bibpanel 56 simply hangs over the distal portion 30 of the main panel 16.In the second bib configuration, the bib 14 serves as a conventionalbib, similar to the first bib configuration, to protect the infantcarrier 12 from fluids or objects discharged from the infant's mouth.The bib 14 may be connected to the carrier 12 in the second bibconfiguration before or after the infant is placed within the carrier12, and when the infant carrier 12 is in the facing-in position (asshown in FIG. 7, prior to being transitioned into the facing-outposition), or in the facing-out position.

The attachment tabs 54 and attachment strips 60 are configured to becooperatively engageable with each other, and are preferably formed ofhook and loop fastening material, although other fasteners known in theart may also be used. Furthermore, the distal fastener 58 and attachmentsnap 62 preferably include complimentary snap-fasteners, but maycomprise hook and lop fastening material or other fastening devicesknown in the art.

Turning to now to FIGS. 9 and 10, the bib 14 is shown in a third, sunvisor configuration to provide shade for the infant disposed within thecarrier 12. In the sun visor configuration, the attachment tabs 54 areconnected to the bib attachment strips 59 disposed along the shoulderstraps 18. The distal connector 58 is connected to the attachment snaps62 to dispose the bib panel 56 over the carrier 12 to provide shade forthe infant. When the bib 14 is in the sun visor configuration, theinfant carrier 12 is preferably disposed in the facing-in position toextend the distal portion 30 of the main panel 16 above the infant'shead to allow the bib 14 to extend over the infant to provide shade tothe infant.

As set forth above, the bib 14 may advantageously provide three-in-onefunctionality to the infant carrier 12 to significantly enhance theexperience of using the carrier 12 for the wearer, as well as theinfant. In this regard, the bib 14 may be disposed in the first andsecond configurations to serve as a conventional bib to position the bib14 adjacent the infant's mouth to collect fluids or objects dischargedfrom the infant to protect the wearer's clothes, infant's clothes, aswell as the infant carrier 12 fabric. The bib 14 may also be connectedto the infant carrier 12 in a position to provide shade to the infant,which is critical given the sensitive nature of an infant's skin.

Although the foregoing discusses an infant carrier 12 and bib 14disposable in three distinct positions, it is understood that variousimplementations of the infant carrier assembly 10 may include an infantcarrier 12 and bib 14 configured to be disposable in only one or two ofthe above described configurations. For instance, one embodiment mayinclude an infant carrier 12 and corresponding bib 14 configured to bedisposable in the first bib configuration and the second bibconfiguration, but not the sun visor configuration. In this regard, thebib 14 may not include a distal connector 58 and the infant carrier 12may not be outfitted with corresponding attachment snaps 62. However,such an infant carrier assembly 10 would nevertheless provide two-in-onefunctionality by including a bib 14 disposable in both the first bibconfiguration and the second bib configuration to accommodate an infantseated in a facing-in position or a facing-out position.

The bib 14 is preferably formed from a washable material to allow thewearer to simply remove the bib 14 from the carrier 12 when the bib 14becomes dirty. In this regard, the wearer may have a number of bibs 14on hand to easily swap one bib 14 for another when a bib 14 becomesdirty.

The bib 14 may also include a pattern, design or other indicia displayedthereon to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the carrier 12. Given thatthe bib 14 is prominently displayed in both the second bibconfiguration, as well as the sun visor configuration, various bibs 14may be used to routinely change the overall appearance of the carrierassembly 10. Furthermore, different bibs 14 may be used to markdifferent occasions. For instance, a beach-themed bib 14 may be used ifthe wearer and infant are going to the beach, whereas a bib 14 havinganimals displayed thereon may be used if the wearer and infant areplanning an outing to the zoo. It is further contemplated that the bib14 may include patterns, logos, or other indicia corresponding tovarious holidays, such as fireworks/flags for the Fourth of July,snowmen for winter holidays, a cornucopia for Thanksgiving, etc.Furthermore, if the carrier 12 is used to carry an infant girl, a bib 14including a pink color may be used, whereas, if the carrier 12 is usedto carry an infant boy, a bib 14 including a blue color may be used. Assuch, the bib 14 allows a wearer to quickly and easily modify theoverall appearance of the infant carrier assembly 10 to suit theparticular tastes of the wearer or to mark a particular holiday orseason.

This disclosure provides an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by thisexemplary embodiment. Numerous variations, whether explicitly providedfor by the specification or implied by the specification, such asvariations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturingprocess may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of thisdisclosure.

1. An infant carrier assembly for carrying an infant, the infant carrierassembly comprising: an infant carrier including: a pair of shoulderstraps; and a main panel having a body portion and a distal portion, themain panel being engageable with the pair of shoulder straps to define apair of leg openings to receive and support the infant within the infantcarrier, the main panel being transitional between a rearwardconfiguration wherein the distal portion is substantially coplanar withthe body portion and a forward configuration wherein the distal portionis folded relative to the body portion to overlap the body portion; anda bib having a pair of attachment tabs and a bib panel connected to thepair of attachment tabs, the pair of attachment tabs being configured tobe releasably attachable to the infant carrier in a first bibconfiguration when the infant carrier is in the rearward configurationto dispose the bib panel between the pair of shoulder straps, and asecond bib configuration when the infant carrier is in the forwardposition to dispose the bib panel adjacent the main panel.
 2. The infantcarrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the pair of attachment tabs areconnected to respective ones of the pair of shoulder straps when the bibis in the first bib configuration.
 3. The infant carrier assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the bib panel extends from the body portion to thedistal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
 4. Theinfant carrier assembly of claim 3, wherein the pair of attachment tabsare connected to prescribed locations of the body portion when the bibis in the second bib configuration.
 5. The infant carrier assembly ofclaim 4, wherein the bib panel is connected to a prescribed location ofthe distal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration. 6.The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the bib is configured tobe attachable to the infant carrier to assume a sun visor configuration,wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to respective ones ofthe pair of shoulder straps, and the bib panel is attached to the mainpanel.
 7. The infant carrier assembly of claim 6, wherein the bib isconnected to the infant carrier in the sun visor configuration when theinfant carrier is in the rearward configuration.
 8. The infant carrierassembly of claim 6, wherein the bib panel includes a distal portionconnected to the distal portion of the main panel when the bib is in thesun visor configuration.
 9. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1,further comprising a pair of fasteners configured to engage the distalportion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion inthe rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from thepair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forwardconfiguration.
 10. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein thepair of shoulder straps are connected to the main panel to assume anoverlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersection point.11. The infant carrier assembly of claim 10, further comprising a strapconnector slidably coupled to the pair of shoulder straps, the strapconnector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move theintersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
 12. The infantcarrier assembly of claim 1, further including a pair of strap fastenersfor engaging the pair of shoulder straps to the main panel, the infantcarrier further comprising a pocket coupled to the main panel, thepocket being sized and configured to capture the pair of strapfasteners.
 13. An infant carrier for carrying an infant, the infantcarrier comprising: a main panel; a pair of shoulder straps engageablewith the main panel to define a pair of leg openings to receive andsupport the infant within the infant carrier, the pair of shoulderstraps being connected to the main panel to assume an overlapping,intersecting configuration to define an intersection point; and a strapconnector slidably coupled to the pair of should straps, the strapconnector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move theintersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
 14. The infantcarrier of claim 13, wherein the main panel includes a body portion anda distal portion moveable relative to the body portion between arearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantiallycoplanar with the body portion, and a forward configuration wherein thedistal portion is folded relative to the body portion about a fold lineto overlap the body portion.
 15. The infant carrier assembly of claim14, further comprising a pair of rearward fasteners configured to engagethe distal portion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distalportion in the rearward configuration and to disengage the distalportion from the pair of should straps to dispose the distal portion inthe forward configuration.
 16. An infant carrier for carrying an infant,the infant carrier comprising: a main panel; a pair of shoulder strapsengageable with the main panel to define a pair of leg openings toreceive and support the infant within the infant carrier; a pair ofstrap fasteners for engaging the pair of shoulder straps to the mainpanel; and a pocket coupled to the main panel, the pocket being sizedand configured to capture the pair of strap fasteners.
 17. The infantcarrier of claim 16, wherein the main panel includes a body portion anda distal portion moveable relative to the body portion between arearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantiallycoplanar with the body portion, and a forward configuration wherein thedistal portion is folded relative to the body portion about a fold lineto overlap the body portion.
 18. The infant carrier of claim 17, furthercomprising a pair of rearward fasteners configured to engage the distalportion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion inthe rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from thepair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forwardconfiguration.
 19. The infant carrier of claim 16, further comprising abib having a pair of attachment tabs and a bib panel connected to thepair of attachment tabs, the pair of attachment tabs being configured tobe releasably attachable to the infant carrier.
 20. The infant carrierof claim 16, wherein the pair of shoulder straps are connected to themain panel to assume an overlapping, intersecting configuration todefine an intersection point, the infant carrier further comprising astrap connector slidably coupled to the pair of should straps, the strapconnector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move theintersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.